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The European Commission has issued new guidance confirming that airlines may benefit from temporary flexibility under EU airport slot rules in the event of serious fuel supply disruptions linked to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Under the current EU slot regime, airlines are normally required to use at least 80% of their allocated airport slots in order to retain them for the following scheduling season. The Commission’s guidance, published on 8 May, clarifies that fuel shortages affecting either the departure or arrival airport may qualify as “justified non-use” of slots. This means that, subject to case-by-case assessment, airlines could cancel flights without automatically losing their historic slot rights where operational disruptions are directly linked to a lack of available jet fuel.

However, the Commission draws a clear distinction between genuine supply shortages and commercial decisions linked to rising fuel costs. Flight cancellations driven primarily by high kerosene prices will, “in principle”, not qualify for slot relief. In doing so, the Commission seeks to avoid a situation where carriers reduce capacity for commercial reasons while still benefiting from regulatory exemptions.

The Commission has acknowledged that the situation remains highly volatile. It indicated that additional regulatory measures could be considered should the crisis deepen further, particularly if broader disruptions begin to affect the functioning of the Single Market. 

In parallel, the Commission also confirmed that there is currently no regulatory obstacle preventing the use of US-standard Jet A fuel in Europe as a contingency measure in case of shortages of Jet A-1 fuel. Jet A is already widely used on transatlantic operations to Europe, and many long-haul aircraft are certified to operate with both fuel types. The clarification is intended to provide additional operational flexibility for airlines should fuel supply pressures intensify.